Question

this passage is from a speech that pennsylvania delegate benjamin franklin wrote for the last day of the constitutional convention. read the passage. then answer the question below.

i confess that there are several parts of this constitution which i do not at present approve, but i am not sure i shall never approve them. . . . i doubt, too, whether any other convention we can have may be able to make a better constitution. . . . thus i consent, sir, to this constitution, because i expect no better, and because i am not sure, that it is not the best.

at present: currently
consent: agree

based on the text above, how did benjamin franklin feel about the final document drafted at the convention? select all that apply.

• he generally approved of the document.
• he did not believe the states should adopt it.
• he did not believe it was a perfect document.
• he had plans to make it a better document.

Explanation:

1. For "He generally approved of the document": Franklin says "I consent, Sir, to this Constitution" (consent means agree), so he generally approved.
2. For "He did not believe the states should adopt it": He consented to the Constitution, meaning he thought it should be adopted, so this is wrong.
3. For "He did not believe it was a perfect document": He says "there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve" and "I am not sure that it is not the best" (implying he's not sure it's perfect), so he didn't think it was perfect.
4. For "He had plans to make it a better document": The passage says he doubts another Convention can make a better one, and he doesn't mention his own plans to improve it, so this is wrong.

Answer:

• He generally approved of the document.
• He did not believe it was a perfect document.